by Lisa Cassidy
“But who looked after you after your mother and stepfather died? You were still a boy.”
“Romney, mainly, and the other soldiers,” he said. “It was not a bad way to be raised, but there was little softness in it.”
“I can see where all those rumours about you must come from.” She quirked a smile at him, but it quickly faded at his forbidding expression. “I’m still curious about why you came here. Did the king order you?”
He glanced at her, his green eyes hard. “I know you think me cold and merciless, Lady Egalion, but I do have honour. That is what my mother fostered in me and what bought me to DarkSkull Hall. I, too, wish to go home.”
“That’s not an answer, and now I’m even more curious,” she pushed. “I’m the future Queen of Rionn, you know? I could order you to answer my question.”
His head came up sharply and she thought she’d made him angry, but instead a tiny smile curved the corner of his mouth. As the hard look on his face softened a little he suddenly looked much more like his twenty years.
“You could, but I don’t see how you’re going to enforce it,” he said. “I have seen you at sparring practice.”
Alyx laughed, and his smile widened a fraction. “That’s a very good point.”
“Alyx, Master Howell wants to see us.” Finn appeared, his gaze darting nervously at Ladan.
Alyx nodded and looked at Ladan. “Thank you for talking to me.”
“Perhaps we’ll do it again some time.”
“Ladan?” she said as he walked off. “I don’t think you’re cold and merciless.”
He kept walking.
“The mages are treating the attack more seriously than Master Romas let on,” Howell told them at their next lesson. “They’re deeply concerned that a group of unknown warriors got to DarkSkull without being picked up well before they reached our walls and—”
“Picked up by whom?” Finn interrupted.
“The Tregayan Militia,” Howell said. “Their army doesn’t match the sheer might of Zandia’s or the prowess of Shivasa’s but their informant network across the country is unrivalled.”
“How did it happen then?” Tarrick asked.
“We don’t know yet. The only thing that saved the walls being breached were the signal fires. The mages at the watchtowers were able to converge on the point of attack quickly enough to hold the attackers off until Master Rothai and the warrior mages from the DarkSkull Hall Patrols got there.”
“Do warrior mages man the watchtowers all day every day?” Finn asked with interest.
“No. There are only a handful of mage warriors amongst the masters here, so apprentices are rostered on the watchtowers in shifts. Their job is to light the beacon if there’s trouble.”
Finn frowned. “I thought I saw apprentices amongst those who rode out to fight last night?”
“You did. There are two fighting patrols at DarkSkull formed by older students, usually in their fourth year, who are powerful in magic and skilled with the staff. Each patrol has six members; the first is led by Master Rothai, the second by Master Dirrion.”
“Just six?” Alyx questioned.
“A small number, I grant you, but combined mage power can be an enormously powerful thing,” Howell said. “Besides, until last night the patrols had really become more of a ceremonial thing, a way to reward high performing students.”
“You were going to say more about the attack before Finn interrupted,” Dawn said suddenly.
Howell smiled again. “I need to remember to shield my thoughts more carefully around you, girl. Yes, there is more. Two of the apprentices from second patrol were injured in the attack. The injuries were not caused by conventional weapons.”
“There were mages in the attacking party?” Tarrick sat up. “But all mages are trained here at DarkSkull.”
“Assuming the council didn’t attack its own school, they must have been non-council mages,” Finn continued his train of thought.
“Or someone other than the council is training mages,” Brynn said.
“A good point, and something the council is beginning to think about,” Howell admitted, then smiled wryly and looked at them all in turn. “Say goodbye to the world you thought you lived in.”
Chapter 18
Alyx calmed Tingo with a touch and soft murmur, then gripped the reins and swung herself up into the saddle. Several more weeks had passed—they’d been at DarkSkull almost five months now—and the muscles in her arms had strengthened enough that she no longer had trouble mounting Tingo without the aid of a mounting block.
She hadn’t yet progressed to the point where she was strong enough to hold him in, but now, instead of being completely dominated by the big stallion, their rides had become characterized by a constant battle of wills in which Alyx tried to make him obey her and he did his best not to. Tingo won more often than not, but Alyx’s small wins of control were increasing in number. Somewhere in all of this, her fear of riding him had faded.
Tingo’s hooves clip-clopped on the cobblestones until they left the courtyard and joined the others out in the snow-covered field. Tarrick wasn’t with them this afternoon. He had been spending increasing amounts of his spare time practicing his burgeoning powers and, following Howell’s class earlier, had gone to the privacy of his room.
Alyx couldn’t control a shiver as an icy gust whipped around her. It had been three days since the weather had been calm enough for them to venture out on the horses, and they were restive with inaction. Tingo was already pulling hard on the reins.
“I wonder if the Mage Council is certain that the mages going missing are actually dead,” Brynn said as they urged the horses into a trot.
Alyx blinked at the random choice of subject, but then, Brynn was often like that. A second later, she was forced to concentrate on not falling off as Tingo shied suddenly, then pulled hard on the reins in an attempt to break into a gallop. Alyx righted herself and managed to keep him at a trot, though her arms burned with the effort.
“Why?” Dawn asked. “Did you find out something more?”
In the weeks that had followed the attack, the students had been given little more information. Defences around the valley had been visibly tightened, though, and the DarkSkull first and second warrior patrols were often seen riding out of the grounds.
Tarrick eventually learned from a cousin in one of the patrols that they still hadn’t found the attackers that had escaped, and that after searching for miles out into the countryside, DarkSkull had officially given up the search. At Tarrick and the twins’ urging, Brynn had questioned various people around DarkSkull, but so far had no luck.
“If someone other than the council is training mages, then someone has to be doing the training,” Alyx answered now.
“Why didn’t you mention that in our class with Howell?” Finn asked, wrenching his stallion’s head around. “I’ve been trying to get him to talk more about the missing mages for the past month without success.”
“It’s pretty obvious, Finn, I’m sure the mages have already considered it.” Alyx shrugged.
“I still don’t understand the purpose for any of it, training mages secretly or attacking DarkSkull.” Brynn frowned.
Before anyone could respond, Brynn’s mare suddenly broke into a gallop across the field. Alyx clenched her knees and held on tight as Tingo followed suit, no longer willing to be held back by his rider. The twins followed behind them, and silence fell as they all concentrated on staying seated while their mounts had a good, long run. As Tingo finally slowed to a trot, Alyx felt pleased satisfaction that she’d kept her seat the entire time.
“You know what else could explain it, if the missing mages aren’t really dead?” Finn suggested as their horses came to an eventual halt, their hides steaming in the cold.
“What’s that?” Dawn asked.
“The missing mages are the ones that attacked DarkSkull.”
“Impossible,” Brynn said.
“Why?” Finn
asked.
“The missing mages are from all different backgrounds, have different abilities, different ages, and disappeared over the course of several years. While an argument could be made that a couple of mages in alliance had faked their deaths in order to attack DarkSkull, there are simply too many for that to be the case. Besides, surely those defending DarkSkull would have noticed if the mages they were fighting were old comrades?”
“Fair point,” Finn said.
“They’re dead.” Brynn shrugged, looking increasingly disinterested in their conversation. “Let’s finish exercising the horses so we can get back inside where it’s warm.”
The tin pot clanged against the side of the deep sink as Alyx lifted it, her left arm struggling to hold its awkward weight while she used her free hand to dry it.
“Are you all right?” the girl beside her asked.
“I’m fine. Thanks.” Alyx finished and placed the pot down on a nearby table. Once again she was being kept late in the kitchens by Madam Grange after another cleaning infraction. It was the fourth such punishment, and Alyx resolved to do better at keeping her things clean and tidy. She detested washing and drying dishes.
“You’re one of the Rionnans, aren’t you?”
Alyx turned to the dark-haired girl doing the washing in surprise, more at her friendly tone than the question she’d asked. “That’s right. I’m Alyx.”
“Jayn.”
The apprentice had her sleeves rolled to her forearms and was busily attacking the large pile of dirty dishes stacked up to her left. So far Alyx had been unable to keep pace with the speed of her washing, and the pile of dishes to be dried was getting larger.
“What got you stuck here tonight?” Jayn asked.
“I didn’t clean my boots properly. I somehow always manage to miss a spot.” Alyx hesitated. “What about you?”
Jayn chuckled. “My robe got soaked riding through the snow coming back from watchtower duty. I left it hanging up overnight to dry it, but forgot to take it down before Grange’s inspection.”
A door slammed and both Madgena and Adahn appeared, although Alyx had no idea what he was doing in the kitchens. Madgena had disappeared earlier in search of another drying cloth.
“Alyx, your overprotective friend hovering outside had to leave or risk getting caught out after curfew,” Adahn called as he rifled through a breadbox and snatched up a small loaf. “As will I be if I don’t hurry off. Night all.”
Alyx watched as he swiped a small wheel of cheese on his way out. Once he’d gone, Madgena began collecting the dried dishes Alyx was placing on the table and putting them away.
“I have no idea how he gets away with that,” Jayn said, resuming the dishes.
“He’s very popular here,” Alyx noted.
“What did he mean about your overprotective friend?”
“He was talking about Tarrick. Usually he walks me back to the dormitory when I get stuck on kitchen duty.”
“Ah, you’re the one Galien is not so secretly out to get,” Jayn said.
“Yes. Lucky me.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes. I’ve been fortunate to steer clear of his lot since I got here.”
“Were you an innocent too?” Alyx asked curiously.
“Oh, no.” Jayn laughed. “My mother was a mage healer. I’m the only one of her kids to get magic, although she’s disappointed I won’t be a healer like her.”
“What is your power?”
“I can shield against magic and material objects.”
“Will you be a warrior mage, then?”
“I don’t know yet.” Jayn flashed her a quick smile. “What about you?”
“Either I have no magic, or it’s taking its time to appear. I’m fervently hoping for the former.”
“Fair enough. DarkSkull Hall isn’t the most enjoyable place to be, and being the target of Galien and his posse would make it downright awful.”
“You should stop talking,” Madgena’s voice accosted them suddenly. “You know Cook Eryan doesn’t like chattering during work. She thinks it makes us go slower.”
“Then you won’t have anything to worry about, will you?” Jayn said sweetly. “I’ll take orders from the masters here, Madame Grange, even Cook Eryan, but I won’t be taking orders from sour-faced initiates.”
Alyx stifled a smile and turned to focus on drying her pile of dishes. Jayn finished the washing soon after and left with a friendly goodbye to Alyx. Silence filled the room as Alyx and Madgena continued working. Eryan came in soon after, snapped at them to hurry up, then disappeared.
As soon as Alyx finished drying all the dishes, she hung up the dishtowel and pulled on her robe.
“Good night, Madgena.”
“Night,” the girl responded tersely.
Alyx shivered as she stepped out the back door and into the night. Teeth chattering, she pulled her brown robe more tightly around herself and started walking. Flakes of snow were like cold pinpricks against her unprotected skin. Alyx navigated purely by the spots of light she could see out of the dormitory windows. Knowing she was vulnerable, she increased her pace, hoping Galien cared about curfew and was far away in his dormitory room.
Alyx paused as she passed the domed building which held the Taliath sword. Glancing around, uncertain what prompted the impulse to visit it, she pushed on the door, expecting it to be locked. Instead, it swung open. A shaft of watery moonlight shone through the glassed skylight in the tower roof, falling by design on the sword inside its glass cage. Drawn to it, Alyx walked over, placing her hand on the cold glass.
Growing up near the Rionnan palace surrounded by Bluecoats, Alyx had seen many swords before. This one was different from anything she’d ever seen. It seemed alive to her, glowing with a soft ambience.
As little as she understood the immensity of mage lore and culture, Alyx felt drawn to the idea of the Taliath. The sadness of their passing was almost a personal grief, and she wished, without really understanding why, to have known them.
She stood there for a few long minutes, admiring the blade. When she turned to go, she spotted a tall figure crossing the grounds as he passed through a patch of moonlight.
Galien.
Alyx backed into the shadows of the room. He’d been coming directly toward her, as if he knew she was there. If he caught her alone in the chamber, she’d be in trouble—nobody knew she was out here. She should have questioned why the door was unlocked. Damn.
Her heart pounded like it would jump out of her chest. She backed around behind the pedestal cradling the Taliath sword and slid down the cold marble so that it hid her from the doorway. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she tried to make herself as small as possible.
A shaft of light fell across the floor as the door opened and the night air gusted in. Alyx curled herself in tighter, certain he would be able to hear her thumping heart. Galien’s presence was like a sheet of ice settling over her skin. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and her terror deepened. She clenched her fists, gritting her jaw in an effort not to scream.
The moment lasted for what seemed to be an eternity. He took a few steps into the room, boots echoing loudly in the cavernous space. She heard his breathing as he stood still, felt his presence shiver through her.
Then, just like that, he was gone, striding out of the tower and closing the door behind him.
Alyx slumped back against the pedestal, realizing for the first time that she was bathed in sweat and gasping for air. She waited what felt like an eternity, wanting to make sure he was completely gone before she forced herself to get up and edge towards the door. After squinting into the darkness, she decided there was nobody around, and summoning every inch of courage she had left, ran hard for the dormitory building.
“What happened?” Dawn exclaimed as Alyx entered their room. She jumped up, knocking to the floor the pile of notes she’d been studying.
Teeth chattering, Alyx related what had occurred.
“Do you think
he knew you were there?”
“If he did, why didn’t he confront me?”
“Why was he there, then? You said he just stood there for a few minutes, then left?”
“That’s what it seemed like. I don’t know, Dawn.”
“You shouldn’t have gone in there,” Dawn chided.
“I know.” Alyx relaxed as the warmth and the safety of their room seeped into her. “I just felt drawn to the sword, for some reason.”
“I wonder why?” Dawn thought out loud, bending to pick up her notes. “And I still want to know what Galien was doing in there.”
“So do I. It was past curfew, so why was he out walking the grounds?”
“Maybe he was meeting someone?”
“In the Taliath room? Perhaps… but I saw nobody else.”
“Maybe whoever he was meeting was late, and he didn’t dare linger too long in case he was caught?”
Alyx nodded. “I suppose.”
“He caught you in class again today, didn’t he?” Dawn came over and put a sympathetic arm around her. “Prajana didn’t notice, but I did.”
“I was late for class, so couldn’t get a seat away from the door.” Alyx showed Dawn the long shallow cut along the inside of her right arm. “He did that with my quill.”
Dawn hesitated. “I have to be honest, Alyx, whenever he’s around, I can feel the hatred he has for you in particular.”
“I wish I knew why.”
“Me too.” Dawn frowned. “I wish I could tell you, but he shields very well and I’m still learning the basics. Maybe he can sense your magic and he sees you as a threat.”
“I don’t have any magic,” Alyx muttered. “If I did, it would have broken out by now. We’ve been here for months.”
“Well, Finn’s hasn’t either. I would think the masters would have sent you home if they truly thought you didn’t have any magic.”
“Stop being so logical,” she grumbled.
They readied themselves for bed, and as Alyx climbed under the covers, Dawn spoke.
“I saw you talking to Ladan this morning. What was that about?”
